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The Gift of Imagination

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‘... education should help one make sense of the world. At the same time, it should help students make sense of themselves as 'players' in the world.’

(Kincheloe and Steinberg 1998)

I spent most of my early childhood growing up in country NSW. My family had settled on what used to be an old copper mine not long before I was born. There weren’t many other children in the district before I was ready for school, so I spent a great deal of time outdoors playing with my imaginary friends.

Luke Skywalker, Dr Who, King Arthur and Odysseus were my playing companions as I acted out my own scenes from these stories. I was commander of a vast army of warriors, fought terrible monsters, went on expeditions through haunted forests and emerged from these adventures sometimes victorious and sometimes vanquished. I was having a great time just using my imagination.

All this fun and excitement came to an abrupt stop when I went to school for the first time. I was suddenly faced with the daunting prospect of being away from home with a whole bunch of children who had their own games and other ways to play. I was painfully shy and it took me a long time to fit in.

Thankfully I managed to overcome my shyness over the years and have ironically found a career working in the performing arts. During that time working as an actor, director and tutor I have spent a great deal of time working with young people and have seen firsthand the benefits of an education in drama. It has always made me smile when I see young people find a new confidence, work collaboratively with their peers and start to discover their own artistic voice.

But what is that makes an education in drama such a beneficial experience for young people? To answer this question I did some research and found an interesting project launched by the National Theatre in London that created a study looking at the benefits of children engaging with drama.

The National Theatre’s education department spent 3 years working with primary school children in South East London. They sent a group of artists into those schools to provide workshops for the students in the dramatic arts. The findings that resulted from the project were fascinating.

Overall the children who participated in the project reported an increased enjoyment of school. They recognised the value of working with other people towards goals and were more able to articulate their thoughts with confidence. These students found an ability to concentrate for longer periods took an active role in learning and performed better in other subjects.

This report is only one of many studies supporting the idea that drama in education is an important and positive part of young people’s overall development. Providing access and opportunities in the community for young people to participate in creative pursuits is vital to maintaining a healthy and innovative culture. And even without taking the big picture perspective into consideration, the excitement, joy and happiness that a creative education can bring to young people is a convincing testimony in itself.

Looking back to my own education as a young person I feel a little envious of the wide choice of options available for kids in and outside of school. Looking at what’s on offer I think how great it could have been for a little boy growing up in country NSW to get involved in some of the courses available today. Who knows, maybe he still will.

Source: National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) - Offering training for the entertainment industry including theatre, film, television, radio and new media.